5 Tips to Saving Money on a Vegan Diet

Ask people what they feel is the biggest challenge they face when choosing a healthy diet, and many will answer the cost of going on a diet is too much. It’s true that healthy food is more expensive than the pre-packaged, unhealthy stuff you know isn’t good for you, but how are you going to get healthy and eat well on a budget? Going vegan presents a big budget problem for some, but there are ways you can eat a healthy vegan diet and still save money.

Buy Frozen Foods

It’s not something you hear often because you assume fresh is healthier and better for you. Frozen fruit and vegetables are far better for you than the ones in the cans prepackaged and meant to last months at a time you find on the shelves, and they’re just as good as the fresh stuff. Fruit and veggies go bad fast, and that’s a budget-breaker in many kitchens. When you buy frozen, you can use what you need and re-store the rest. It means no longer going to the store 3 times a week to re-stock your fruits and veggies.

Go Generic

You don’t need the designer packaging to make your vegan diet a good one. All you need is items that fall right into the vegan category, and it doesn’t matter who made them. The store brand is just as good as the other brand, but it’s going to save you a few bucks. Perhaps a savings of $5 - $6 each time you go to the store doesn’t seem like much, but imagine switching to generic and saving that every week when you shop. That savings adds up to $260 to $312 per year. That’s a lot of money.

Shop the Big Box Stores

If you don’t have a membership to a bulk store, it’s time to get one. Share a membership with a friend or with your mom if you want to save a little more. Anything you can buy in bulk is a money saver. Since many people who enjoy a vegan diet eat a lot of grains and seeds, consider buying them in bulk. The price is a fraction of what you pay in the supermarket per box, and you have so many on hand you get to leave them off the shopping list for a few months at a time.

Try Portion Control

Another big issue many people have in America is portion control. If you’re looking to save money on a vegan diet, why not start eating meals that are more appropriately sized? This helps you make less, save more food to cook later, and that translates into grocery store savings. Try using only appetizer plates for your meals. They’re smaller, but the portions you get are about what you need. The dinner plates you use are too big, and they make you want to eat more.

Try Other Forms of Saving

Saving money eating a vegan diet isn’t always about saving money on your food choices. Sometimes you can save money elsewhere and apply that to the vegan budget you want, and that’s all you need to do to keep the budget on track. Why not call for car insurance quotes to see if you can lower your rates and send the savings to the grocery budget? You can call your cable company and ask for a lower rate, change your cell phone plan, and cut out a few little things you don’t need every week to lower the budget.

Saving money on a vegan diet is made easier when you learn to save money across the board. Saving on your vegan diet helps you keep grocery bills down, but saving elsewhere helps you have the foods you really want in your diet. Eat well, save more, and enjoy your life to the fullest.